bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage immunities
fire
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages
Ignan
Traits
Heated Body. A creature that touches the salamander or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 ft. of it takes 7 (2d6) fire damage.
Heated Weapons. Any metal melee weapon the salamander wields deals an extra 3 (1d6) fire damage on a hit (included in the attack).
Actions
Multiattack. The salamander makes two attacks: one with its spear and one with its tail.
Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20 ft./60 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage, or 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack, plus 3 (1d6) fire damage.
Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 14). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, the salamander can automatically hit the target with its tail, and the salamander can't make tail attacks against other targets.
How many salamanders for a fight?
A salamander is worth 1,800 XP. Using the 2024 encounter budgets (SRD 5.2), this is how many salamanders fit each difficulty for a party of four characters of the same level. A dash means even one would be over the budget.
Party level
Low
Moderate
High
4th
—
—
1
5th
1
1
2
6th
1
2
3
7th
1
2
3
8th
2
3
4
9th
2
4
5
10th
3
5
6
11th
4
6
9
12th
4
8
10
13th
5
9
12
14th
6
10
12+
15th
7
12
12+
16th
8
12+
12+
17th
10
12+
12+
18th
11
12+
12+
19th
12
12+
12+
Budgets add up every monster’s XP, so you can swap some for other creatures of the same total. Try other party sizes and mixes in the encounter calculator.
How the salamander compares at CR 5
Against the 26 other challenge 5 monsters in the SRD 5.1, the salamander has more hit points than 7 of them, which makes it a little frailer than most at its CR. See every CR 5 monster.
Statistic
Salamander
CR 5 average
Armor Class
15
14.5
Hit points
90
102
Best attack bonus
+7
+7
Salamander 2024 stat block
The 2024 Monster Manual revised the salamander, and the SRD 5.2 carries the new stat block. What changed:
Speed: 30 ft. → 30 ft., climb 30 ft..
New in its stat block: Fire Aura, Flame Spear and Constrict.
Gone from it: Heated Body, Heated Weapons, Spear and Tail.
Armor Class
15
Hit Points
90 (12d10 + 24)
Speed
30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Challenge
5 (1,800 XP)
STR
DEX
CON
INT
WIS
CHA
18 (+4)
14 (+2)
15 (+2)
11 (+0)
10 (+0)
12 (+1)
Damage vulnerabilities
cold
Damage immunities
fire
Senses
darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages
Primordial (Ignan)
Traits
Fire Aura. At the end of each of the salamander’s turns, each creature of the salamander’s choice in a 5-foot Emanation originating from the salamander takes 7 (2d6) Fire damage.
Actions
Multiattack. The salamander makes two Flame Spear attacks. It can replace one attack with a use of Constrict.
Flame Spear. Melee or Ranged Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) Piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) Fire damage. Hit or Miss: The spear magically returns to the salamander’s hand immediately after a ranged attack.
Constrict. Strength Saving Throw: DC 15, one Large or smaller creature the salamander can see within 10 feet. Failure: 11 (2d6 + 4) Bludgeoning damage plus 7 (2d6) Fire damage. The target has the Grappled condition (escape DC 14), and it has the Restrained condition until the grapple ends.
